Card reader

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to the design of card readers for cards equipped with memory. Such cards, and also the data stored in the memory of such cards, are generally utilized to produce and/or maintain operating states of technical devices. It is also known that the user personally can store data in certain areas of the memory. However, as the memory design and usage has been standardized for the most part and the memory capacity reserved for use by the user is relatively small, the memory capacity reserved for the user can only be increased by providing the device with additional cards equipped with memory. However, as all cards used in a device to supply the full functionality mast operate together in a prescribed manner, it is the task of the invention to specify a card reader that organizes this operation. To accomplish this, it is specified that a monitoring device  17  or a closing device  24  is present that prevents the insertion of a second card  11.1  when there is a first card  11.2  inserted in the first slot  12.2,  or that ensures, when there are two cards  11  in the slots  12 , that the first card  11.2  is removed from its corresponding slot  12  before second card  11.1  is removed.

This application is a Reissue application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/746,132,filed Dec. 21, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,864, granted Nov. 1, 2005,which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 199 63 403 filedDec. 28, 1999.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the design of card readers for cards equippedwith memory.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

According to the background of the invention, card readers for cardsequipped with memory are well known so that we do not need to go intomore detail here in this context. However, to better understand theinvention we state that all known card readers have a slot equipped withan insertion aperture in which the card equipped with memory isinserted. As such cards are used to produce and/or maintain operatingstates of electrical devices, there are contacts within the slot that,when the card is inserted in the slot, make contact with the contacts onthe card and consequently connect the memory of the card with a readand/or write device. This allows the corresponding device to only beused when there is information stored in the memory of the card. Suchcards equipped with memory could be, for example, the SIM cards used inmobile communication, without which the user cannot log into thenetwork. Such cards equipped with memory are often designed so that notonly data used to produce and/or maintain operating states is stored inthe storage space of the memory, but so that there are also memory areasin which the user himself can write data. In this context we would liketo refer again to the SIM cards used in mobile telephones that not onlycontain the data used to maintain the operating state of mobiletelephones, but that also can store telephone numbers entered by theuser, for example. This is especially practical because the user, whenusing another mobile telephone, also has the telephone book stored inthe memory of his SIM card available when “his” SIM card is inserted.However, due to the standardization of the memory in the cards, thememory space provided for use by a user is very limited. The memorybottleneck created by the standardization is especially critical becausemore services and/or applications are constantly being created that needthe memory space provided on the cards so that they can be used moreflexibly. This need can be met, for example, by providing at least oneother card equipped with memory for this purpose that, to increaseflexibility, does not necessarily have to be identical to the standardcard used in the corresponding application. However, due to the factthat this other card must function with the card already present, it isthe task of the invention to specify a method and/or a card reader thatprevents invalid states from arising when two cards are used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basic principle common to the various embodiments that a specificorder is maintained when inserting or removing cards from the slots. Ifin accordance with one embodiment there is a second slot that also hasan insertion aperture for inserting another card equipped with memoryand if there is a closing device on the insertion device of the secondslot that prevents a second card front being inserted or removed fromthe second slot when there is a card in the first slot, thenmalfunctions that can arise when a first card has already been insertedor logged in by subsequently inserting or logging in the second card orby prematurely removing or logging out the second card are prevented.This sequence of events is ensured in accordance with claim 2 in thatthere is a monitoring device that does not prevent the insertion of acard in the second slot, but that does prevent the logging in of a cardinserted in the second slot when there is already a card in the firstslot and that, when there is a card inserted in the second slot,monitors its position in the second slot and logs out the card locatedin the first slot when a change in position is detected.

Inserting cards into the slots is especially simple when the two slotsare arranged one over the other and the insertion apertures of the twoslots point in the same direction.

If in accordance with another embodiment the closing device is a movablecover equipped with a stop base that exposes the insertion aperture ofthe second slot when in a first position and blocks the insertionaperture when in its second position, where the stop base prevents thecover from moving when there is a card inserted in the first slot as thestop base is seated against the card 13 located in the first slot, thenan especially inexpensive solution for controlling the insertionprocedure exists.

The card reader is especially user-friendly when, in accordance withanother embodiment, there is an ejection device in the second slot thatpushes the card inserted in the second slot out of the insertionaperture when the closing device opens and provides access to theinsertion device on the second slot.

The complexity of the ejection device is then very low when, inaccordance with another embodiment, the ejection device comprisesprimarily of a mechanism that supplies the mechanical energy forejecting the card inserted in the second slot only after closing and/oropening the closing device 24.

If the card reader is realized in accordance with another embodiment,then no special steps or components are required to bring a card placedin the second slot to its end position in the slot. On the contrary, inthis implementation the card is brought to its end position solely bythe insertion motion performed by the user.

If in accordance with another embodiment a second energy storage deviceis connected to the closing device, and if the card reader is otherwisedesigned as specified in claim 9, then it is ensured that the closingmotion of the closing device proceeds with the aid of the energy storedin the second energy storage device,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following figures contain the following:

FIG. 1 Cross-section of a card reader;

FIG. 2 Cross-section of another card reader;

FIG. 3 Bottom view of a cradle;

FIG. 4 Another diagram according to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 Another diagram according to FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 Another diagram according lo FIG. 3;

FIGS. 7a-c Three diagrams of two fixed ramps and

FIGS. 8a-e Five schematic diagrams of a cradle with cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A card reader according to the invention will be explained in moredetail based on the figures.

FIG. 1 shows part of a housing shell 10 that contains two insertionapertures 11.1 and 11.2. There is a slot 12.1. and 12.2 behind each ofthe two insertion apertures 11.1, 11.2.

A card 13.1 equipped wish memory 14.1 is inserted in the first slot12.1. In addition, there are spring contacts 15.1 in slot 12.1 that makecontact with the contact surfaces 16.1 connected to the memory 14.1 of acard 13.1 inserted in the slot 12.1.

There is also a card 13.2 inserted in the second slot 12.2. As this card13.2 is a SIM card needed to establish and maintain a mobile telephoneconnection, this card 13.2 is also equipped with memory 14.2. There arealso spring contacts 15.2 mounted in the slot 12.2 that make physicalcontact with the contact surfaces connected to this cards memory 14.2when there is a card 13.2 inserted in this slot 12.2.

Each contact spring 15 located in a slot 12.1, 12.2 is connected to aread and/or write device 17. The read and/or write device is used toread and/or write information from and/or to the memory 14.1 and 14.2.

In addition, there are two pockets 19.1, 19.2, 20.1, 20.2 on the end18.1, 18.2 of each slot 12.1, 12.2 that are used to mount a monitoringdevice. In particular, this is realized in this example in that there isa light source 21 in each pocket 19 and a light-sensitive sensor 22 ineach pocket 20, where each of the sensors 22 is connected to the readand/or write device 17.

This monitoring device has the task of monitoring the slots 12 withcards 13 to determine if the slots contain cards and to control thelogin or logout procedure of the cards 13. A login procedure isunderstood to be a procedure in which the memory 14 of a card 13exchanges data with the read and/or write device 17 through theconnection of the contact springs 15 with contact surfaces, while alogout procedure terminates the previously existing data exchangebetween a memory 14 and the read and/or write device 17 by disconnectingthe existing connection.

If neither of the slots 12 in a device shown in FIG. 1 contains a card13 and a card 13.2 is then inserted in the slot 12.2 in the direction ofthe arrow P2′, then this card 13.2 is logged in and the light beamlocated at the end 18.2 of this slot 12.2 is interrupted once the card13.2, as shown in FIG. 1, has reached its end position in the slot 12.2.The contact springs 15.1 in the slot 12.1 are electrically disconnectedfrom the read and/or write device 17 at the same time as the light beamin the slot 12.2 is interrupted so that a card 13.1 inserted afterwardsin the slot 12.1 in the direction of the arrow P2 cannot exchange dataanymore with the read and/or write device 17.

If the two slots 12 contain cards 13 as shown in FIG. 1, then the lightbeam present in the slot 12.1 that is interrupted by the inserted card13.1 has the task of constantly checking the position and presence ofthe card 13.1. If the card 13.1 is now suddenly pulled out of the slot12.1 in the direction of the arrow P3, then the sensor 22 located in thepocket 20.1 detects this and informs the read/write device 17 of this,whereupon the card 13.2 located in the slot 12.2 is immediately loggedout. To ensure that the card 13.2 located in the slot 12.2 is logged outsoon enough before the card 13.1 moving out of slot 12.1 is logged out,the contact surfaces 16.1 are to be designed to be large enough so thatphysical contact with the contact springs 15.1 is only broken after thelight beam in the slot 12.1 is not interrupted anymore and the card 13.2is logged off.

Just for the sake of completeness we would like to point out that themonitoring device is not limited to the design shown in the context ofFIG. 1 as long as the sensor/sensors used ensure that a card 13.1 in theslot 12.1 cannot be logged in a when there is a card 13.2 already loggedin in the slot 12.2 and that when there are two cards 13.1, 13.2 loggedin, the first card 13.2 is always logged out before the card 13.1located in the slot 12.1 is logged out.

In this manner, another example (not shown) can be demonstrated in whichthe light beam found at the end 18.2 of the slot 12.2 in accordance withFIG. 1 is not needed when the read and/or write device 17 is modified sothat after a login procedure of a card 13.2 or after the electricalcontact between the memory 14.2 and the read and/or writing device 17 ismade, the device detects the presence of a card 13.2 and disconnects theconnection to contact spring 15.1 when the light beam in the slot 12.1is interrupted by a card 13.1.

FIG. 2 shows a mechanical implementation that prevents a card 13.1 frombeing logged on by inserting a card 13.1 in the slot 12.1 when there isalready a card 13.2 located in the slot 12.2, and that prevents a card13.1 located in and logged in using slot 12.1 from being logged out bypulling it out of slot 12.1 before card 13.2 located in and logged inusing slot 12.2 is logged out.

The cross-sectional diagram in FIG. 2 shows a housing shell 10.1, 10.2that has an opening 23. The two slots 12.1 and 12.2 are located behindthe opening 23 (in the interior of the housing) one over the other,where slot 12.1 contains card 13.1 and slot 12.2 contains card 13.2. Forthe sake of clarity, FIG. 2 does not contain representations of thememory in the cards, the contact surfaces and the spring contacts.

In addition, FIG. 2 also shows a closing device. This closing device isformed mainly by a cover 24 whose side panels 24′ are mounted on a shaft25 and that can be rotated in the direction of the arrow P4,P4′ (seealso FIG. 3 for their mounting position). The cover 24 also has acut-out 26, a handle 27 and a stop base 28. If, as shown in FIG. 2, thecard 13.2 is inserted in slot 12.2 and the handle 27 is seated againstthe housing shell 10.1, then the cover 24 and the card 13.2 block theopening 23. Because the stop base 28 of the cover 24 is seated againstthe card 13.2, as can clearly be seen in the diagram in FIG. 2, anymotion of the cover 24 in the direction of the arrow P4, P4′ isprevented by the stop base 28 and the handle 27. As the cover 24 alsoblocks the insertion aperture 11.1 of the slot 12.1 at the same time, acard 13.1 located in the slot 12.1 cannot be removed from the slot 12 1.However, if a card 13.1 located in slot 12.1 is to be removed from thisslot, the card 13.2 located in slot 12.2 must first be completelyremoved. This must be preceded by the logging out of the card 13.2 asalready described above.

If the card 13.2 is pulled out of slot 12.2, then there is no contactsurface anymore for the stop base 28 so that the cover 24 can be moveddownward in the direction of the arrow P1 (P4) until the handle 27 isseated against the housing shell 10.2. If the handle 27 has made contactwith the housing shell 10.2, then the cut-out 26 in the cover 24 allowsaccess to the insertion aperture 11.1 and the card 13.1 can be removedfrom the slot 12.1 (see also FIG. 8e).

The design shown in FIG. 2 also prevents a card 13.1 from being insertedin slot 12.1 after a card 13.2 has been inserted into and logged inusing slot 12.2. This is due to the fact that the handle 27 of the cover24 (as shown in FIG. 2) is seated against the housing shell 10.1 whileblocking the insertion aperture 11.1 of slot 12.1 at the same time whena card 13.2 has been inserted or logged in.

The following contains a detailed description of an ejection device fora card 13.1 located in slot 12.1.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the slot 12.1 is formed by a fixed surface 29and a cradle 30 for this purpose. The cradle 30 is connected to thefixed surface 29 and can be slid in the direction of ejection and ofinsertion (P2, P3) of the card 13.1. There is also a stop 32 at the end31 of the cradle 30 that is seated against the card 13.1 inserted inslot 12.1 when it has reached its end position in slot 12.1. In additionthere is a mechanical energy storage device in the form of a spring 33located between the cradle 30 and the fixed surface (not shown in itsentirety in FIG. 2). Finally, there is a gear 34 on shaft 25 that,together with the shaft 25, can only be rotated in a counterclockwisedirection P5.

We would like to point out at this point that the teeth 35 of the gear34 that have an even-numbered ordinal number (35.2, 35.4, 35.6, . . . )are wider in the direction the shaft axis than the teeth 35 that have anodd-numbered ordinal number (35.1, 35.3, 35.5, . . . ) and that there isa tooth 35 with an odd-numbered ordinal number (35.1, 35.3, 35.5, . . .) located between each pair of teeth 35 with an even-numbered ordinalnumber (35.2, 35.4, 36.6, . . . ).

It can clearly be seen in FIGS. 3 through 6, which all show a bottomview of the cradle 30 when looking up from point B in FIG. 2, that thegear 34 is located on a side next to the cradle 30, that the teeth 35with odd-numbered ordinal numbers (35.1, 35.3, 35.5, . . . ) are not aswide (in the direction of the cradle 30) as the teeth 34 witheven-numbered ordinal numbers (35.2, 35.4, 35.6, . . . ) and that thereis a cam 36 on the cradle 30 that extends in the direction of the gear34 whose front edge 37 is designed to make physical contact with theteeth 35 with even-numbered ordinal numbers (35.2, 35.4, 36.6, . . . )and whose longitudinal edge 38 always remains a short distance from theteeth 35 with odd-numbered ordinal numbers (35.1, 35.3, 35.5, . . . ).

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the cover 24 is closed (as shown in FIG.2) and in which the slot 12.1 does not contain a card 13.1. In thisstate the insertion aperture 11.1 is in the position Pos.1, which is notonly shown in FIG. 3 as a dotted line but is also shown as such in FIGS.2 and 6. In addition, it can be seen in the diagram in FIG. 3 that thereis a tongue 39 on the cover 24, on the end of which there is a lug 40that extends into the space between two teeth 35 (35.5, 35.6) of gear34.

There are also two fixed ramps 41, 42 located on the side of the gear 34that faces the cradle 30. The ramps are only shown schematically inFIGS. 3 through 6 and will be described in more detail in the context ofFIGS. 7a through c. The diagram in FIG. 7a refers to the situation thatis also shown in FIG. 3. It can clearly be seen in the diagram accordingto FIG. 7a that there are two ramps 41, 42 arranged one behind the otherin the direction of rotation P5 of the shaft 25, whereby the steepfalling edge 43.1 of ramp 41 and the base point F2 of the incline 44.2of ramp 42 are separated by an intermediate area 45. It can also be seenin FIGS. 7a through c that the ramp 42 has a flat area 46 that primarilyruns parallel to the intermediate area 45.

If the situation shown in FIG. 3 arises, then, as shown FIG. 7a, the tworamps 41, 42 lie exactly between two even-numbered teeth 35.8, 35.10 ofgear 34, while the odd-numbered tooth 35.9 located between the twoeven-numbered teeth 35.8, 35.10 is located directly across from theintermediate area 45.

If, based on the situation shown in FIG. 3, the cover 24 is now openedin the direction corresponding to the direction of the arrows P1, P4shown in FIG. 2, then this opening motion will be transferred to the lug40. However, as the right side of lug 40 (as shown in FIG. 3) is seatedagainst a tooth 35 with an even-numbered ordinal number 35.6 at thistime, the opening motion will be transferred to the gear 35, rotatingthe gear together with the shaft 25 in the direction of the arrow P5until the gear 34 reaches the position shown in FIG. 4.

At the same time the gear 34 is rotating, the even-numbered tooth 35.4(which is shown entirely in black in FIGS. 3 through 6 to improverecognition of the tooth) makes contact with the front edge 37 of thecam 36 and pushes the cam 36 together with the cradle 30 in thedirection P7 to the position designated in FIG. 4 by Pos.2. The spring33 is loaded while the cradle 30 moves from Pos.1 to Pos.2.

In addition, the shaft 25 and the gear 34 can be moved in the direction(P6, P6′) of the shaft axis. The mobility of the gear 34 and the shaft25 ensures that the rotation P5 of the gear 34 is not impeded by theramps 41, 42, and, based on the position shown in FIG. 7a, that theeven-numbered tooth 35.10 of the gear 34 can slide along the incline44.1 of ramp 41 when the gear 34 and the shaft 25 are moved in thedirection P6 at the same time. At the same time the rotational motion P5ends, the even-numbered tooth 35.10 of gear 34 meshes with theintermediate area 45 while the motion of the gear 34 and the shaft 25 inthe direction P6′ is being completed so that the even-numbered tooth isthen seated against the steep falling edge 43.1 of ramp 41 with one ofits sides (FIG. 7b). The meshing of the tooth with the intermediate area45 is aided in that the motion of the gear 34 and the shaft 25 in thedirection P6 of the shaft axis is performed while working against aspring force during the sliding phase of the even-numbered tooth 35.10along the incline 44.1. This spring force is provided by the tongue 39(FIG. 3) in our example, which is also bent back in the direction P6 ofthe shaft axis as the even-numbered tooth slides along the incline 44.1.

If a situation in accordance with FIGS. 4 and 7b arises after the cover24 has been opened (FIGS. 2 and 3), then the spring 33 is loaded and thecradle 30 moves to its position Pos.2. In addition, the even-numberedtooth 35.4, which is shown in black FIGS, 3 through 6 to improve itsvisibility in the diagrams and which has moved the cam 36 and the cradle30 to the position Pos.2 due to the rotation P5, is vertical after therotation P5 (FIG. 4). Even when the spring 33 is loaded in the positionPos.2, there is no danger that the gear 34 will rotate in the oppositedirection of rotation P5 after the cover 24 has been completely opened(FIG. 2) as no force acts in the direction of the arrow P1. This is dueto the fact that when the cover 24 has been completely opened, therebyrotating the gear 34, the even-numbered tooth 35.10 is guided over theramp 41 and once the opening motion has been completed one of its sidesis seated against the steep falling edge 43.1 of ramp 41, which preventsthe rotation against the direction of rotation P5 (FIG. 7b).

When the position Pos.2 is reached as shown in FIG. 4, then a card 13.1can be inserted in the slot 12.1 through the cut-out 26 in the cover 24(FIG. 2). The insertion of a card is indicated in FIG. 4 by the arrowP2. If the card 13.1 inserted in the slot 12.1 makes physical contactwith the stop 32, then it has reached its end position in the slot 12.1(FIG. 2) and the cover 24 can be closed again. The cover 24 is closed bymoving the handle 27 upwards in the opposite direction of the arrow P1until it makes contact again with the housing shell 10.1. The tongue 39,together with the lug 40, are rotated in the opposite direction of thearrow P5 when the closing motion is carried out (FIG. 5). Thisrelationship is indicated in FIG. 2 by the arrow P4′.

As already explained in the context of FIGS. 7a and b, because thetongue 39 can move in the direction P6 and the lug 40 also has a bevel47 on the side facing away from the direction of rotation P5 of gear 34,the bevel 47 comes into physical contact with an odd-numbered tooth 35.5(FIG. 4) of the gear 34 during the closing motion, thereby bending thetongue 39 slightly in the direction P6 due to the resulting sliding ofthe tooth along the bevel 47. At the same time as the closing motion iscompleted, the lug 40 snaps into place in a space between aneven-numbered tooth 35.4 and an odd-numbered tooth 35.5 of the gear 34,whereby the side of the lug 40 on which the bevel 47 is located facesthe tooth 35 with the even-numbered ordinal number 35.4. Thisrelationship is shown in detail in FIG. 5.

If the card 13.1 inserted in slot 12.1 is now to be removed, the useronly needs to open the cover 24 in the direction of the arrow P1 (FIG.2). As already explained above, a card 13.2 that was inserted in slot12.2 must be removed first so that the motion in the direction of thearrow P1 is not impeded by the card 13.2.

If the renewed opening motion is performed in the direction of the arrowP1; P4, then this motion is transferred again via the tongue 39 and thelug 40 to the gear 34 and the shaft 25, where, based on FIG. 5, thelatter two components 25, 34 rotate in the direction of the arrow P5.The cam 36, together with the cradle 30, are also moved slightly in thedirection of the arrow P7 by the new rotation P5 of the shaft 25 andgear 34 due to the physical contact existing between the even-numberedtooth 35.4 (shown in black to improve the clarity of the diagram) of thegear 34 and the front edge 37 of the cam 36. In this respect the samebasic principles also apply here that were discussed above in thecontext of FIG. 3. As the situation shown in FIG. 7b has not changedafter reaching the position shown in FIG. 5, the even-numbered tooth35.10 located in the intermediate area 45 as shown in FIG. 7b slidesover the incline 44.2 of ramp 42 due to the renewed opening motion P1and the resulting rotation of gear 34 in the direction of the arrow P5.The gear 34 and the shaft 25 are moved slightly in the direction P6 atthe same time as the face of the even-numbered tooth 35.10 slides alongthe incline 44.2. At some point in time the even-numbered gear 35.4(shown in black to improve the clarity of the diagram) will not be inphysical contact with the cam 36 anymore due to the renewed openingmotion P1 and due to the motions in the direction P6 and P7. This stateis primarily reached when, based on FIG. 7b, the front of theeven-numbered gear 35.10 has reached the flat area 46 present on theramp 42 due to the rotation P5. This lack of physical contact betweenthe cam 36 and even-numbered gear 35.4 (shown in black to improve theclarity of the diagram) allows the spring 33 to contract again, whichsimultaneously moves the cradle 30 in the opposite direction of thearrow P7 back to the position Pos.1 shown in FIG. 6. Because a card 13.1located in the slot 12.1 is seated against the stop 32 of the cradle 30(FIG. 2) when the cradle 30 is in the position Pos.2, moving the cradle30 to the position Pos.1 will push the inserted card 13.1 a little bitout of the insertion aperture 11.1, where it can be easily grabbed toremove it completely.

Just for the sake of completeness we would like to point out that oncethe position Pos.1 shown in FIG. 6 has been reached, the even-numberedtooth 35.10, which was located between the two ramps 41, 42 before therenewed opening motion P1 was performed (see FIG. 7b), is pressed againin the direction P6′ after passing over the flat area 46 due to thespring action of the tongue 39 already explained above so that asituation arises at the end the rotational motion P5 that corresponds tothe situation shown in FIG. 7c.

If the card 13.1 has been completely removed, then the resulting statecorresponds to that shown in FIG. 3 when the cover 24 is closed again bya closing motion in the opposite direction of the arrow P1 (FIG. 2) orby a rotation P4′ corresponding to the explanation stated in the contextof FIG. 5. However, the lug 40 snaps into place in the space between theeven-numbered tooth 35.4 and the odd-numbered tooth 35.3 of gear 35after the rotational motion P4′ has been completed,

The opening and closing of the cover 24 will be explained in more detailin the following.

The cradle 30 is equipped with a sliding tongue 48 (which is only shownin FIG. 3 to improve the clarity of the diagrams in FIGS. 3 through 6)to make it easier to close the cover 24. This sliding tongue 48 has ahook 50 and a pocket 51 on its free end 49 (FIGS. 8a through 8e). Inaddition, the cover 24 and the side panels 24′ can be seen in theschematic diagrams in FIGS. 8a through 8e.

In the situation shown in FIG. 8a the cradle 30 is located in theposition Pos.1, which is also shown in FIG. 3. Additionally, the cover24 has been opened by a motion P1, P4. The latter is indicated in thatthe cut-out 26 of the cover 24 is in front of the cradle 30, therebyallowing access to the insertion aperture 11.1. The spring 52 that formsa second energy storage device is connected to the cover 24 and has alsobeen loaded by the opening motion P1, P4. If no more of the force usedto trigger the opening motion P1, P4 is applied, then the cover 24 arotates in the direction P4′ (FIG. 8b), whereby the energy for therotational motion in the direction P4′ is supplied by the spring 52 justloaded. It can clearly be seen in the diagram shown in FIG. 8b that thecover 24 blocks the insertion aperture 11.1 again after the rotationalmotion in the direction P4′ has been completed because the cut-out 26has now been rotated upwards.

As can be seen in FIGS. 8a through 8e, there is a pin 53 on the sidepanel 24′ of the cover 24 that projects slightly into the pocket 51 whenin the position shown in FIG. 8a. As the diagrams in FIGS. 8a through 8eclearly show that the pocket 51 is wider than the pin 53, then therotational motion P4′ induced by the spring 52 will not be hindered bythe hook 50 when the cradle 30 is located in the position Pos.1 when nomore force is applied in the direction P1, P4.

Based on FIG. 8b, if the cover 24 is opened again to insert a card 13.1(not shown in FIG. 8b) by moving it in the direction P1, P4 and thecut-out 26 is rotated until it is in front of the insertion aperture11.1, then, as already explained in the context of FIGS. 3 and 4, thecradle 30 is moved in the direction P7 to its position Pos.2. While thecradle 30 is in motion, pin 53 moves in the direction of the arrow P1,P4. However, as the cradle 30 moves away from pin 53 while being movedto the position Pos.2, pin 53 cannot take its position within the pocket51 without meeting resistance. To be more precise, when the pin 53 makescontact with the hook 50 that prevents free motion during the rotationalmotion P1, P4 and the motion of the cradle 30 in the direction P7, thehook 50 is pushed away by pin 53 in the direction P8. If the rotationalmotion P1, P4 is complete, the spring 52 is loaded and the cover 24 isopen, then the pin 53 is seated against the hook 50 as shown in FIG. 8c,whereby a rotational motion in the opposite direction of the arrow P1 orin the direction of the arrow P4′ is prevented in spite of the forceexerted by the loaded spring 52. This state can be used to insert a card13.1 (not shown in FIG. 8c) in the insertion aperture 11.1 (indicated bythe arrow P2).

If the card 13.1 is inserted in the direction P2, then the cover 24 canbe closed by moving it in the direction P4′, whereby the course ofevents already explained in the context of FIG. 5 is takes place at thesame time. As a closing motion P4′ performed in accordance with FIG. 8cdoes not lead to any change in the position of the cradle 30, the hook50 is deflected in the direction P8 by the force of the pin 53 acting inthe direction P4′, so that, once the resistance of the hook 51 isovercome by pin 53, the spring 52 finishes the closing motion in thedirection P4′. The cover 24 then reaches the position shown in FIG. 8d.

If the cover 24 is now opened again starting at the position shown inFIG. 8d by moving the cover in the direction P1, P4, then, as explainedin the context of FIG. 6, the cradle 30 is moved from the position Pos.2back to Pos.1 and the card 13.1 is pushed out of the insertion aperture11.1. The unhindered mobility of the cradle 30 required to eject thecard 13.1 is not impaired by the pin 53 and the hook 50 as the device issynchronized so that the cam 36 (FIGS. 3 through 6) is not hindered by atooth 35 with an even-numbered ordinal number 35.4 anymore (see theexplanation for FIG. 6) once the pin 53 has already overcome theresistance of the hook 50 during the rotation in the direction P5. Ifthe opening motion in the direction of the arrow P5 has been completed,then the result is the situation shown in FIG. 8e. It can clearly beseen in this diagram that the card 13.1 (indicated in FIG. 8e by thedotted lines) is pushed out of the insertion aperture 11.1 and thecut-out 26 due to the motion of the cradle 30 to the position Pos.1. Ifthe card 13.1 projects out of the cut-out 26 after the opening motionP1, P4 is complete, then a closing motion corresponding to theprinciples shown in FIG. 8b is prevented in spite of the cradle 30 beingin the position shown in FIG. 8a. On the contrary, the closing motion inthe direction P4′ (according to FIG. 8b) will only be carried out whenthe situation shown in FIG. 8a is reached again after reaching theposition shown in FIG. 8e and the complete removal of the card 13.1 fromthe insertion aperture 11.1 and cut-out 26 because the spring 52, whichsupplied the energy required for the closing motion, can only contractafter this point in time.

Just for the sake of completeness we would like to point out that thehook 50 and the pin 53 are shown in FIGS. 8a through 8e for the sake ofclarity without the bevels and/or inclines that facilitate properinteraction between them.

1. A card reader comprising a first slot containing an insertionaperture for inserting a card equipped with a memory; a second slot alsocontaining an insertion aperture for inserting another card equippedwith memory; and a monitoring device that prevents the logging on of asecond card inserted in said second slot when said first slot alreadyhas a first card inserted in said first slot that, when said second cardhas been inserted in said second slot, monitors said second card'sposition in said second slot and logs off the first card located in saidfirst slot when said first card's position changes.
 2. The card readeraccording to claim 1 such that: said first slot and said second slot arearranged one over the other, whereby the insertion apertures of saidfirst slot and said second slot point in the same direction.
 3. The cardreader according to claim 1 further comprising a closing device that isa moveable cover equipped with a stop base that exposes the insertionaperture of said second slot when in said cover's first position andthat blocks said insertion aperture when in said cover's secondposition, whereby the stop base is seated against said first cardlocated in said first slot to prevent the cover from moving when saidfirst card has been inserted in said first slot.
 4. The card readeraccording to claim 1 further comprising an ejection device on of saidsecond slot that ejects said second card inserted in said second slotfrom the insertion aperture when a closing device allows access to theinsertion device on of said second slot.
 5. The card reader according toclaim 4 such that: said ejection device is formed by a mechanism thatsupplies the mechanical energy required to eject said second cardinserted in said second slot on after closing and/or opening saidclosing device.
 6. The card reader according to claim 5 such that: saidejection device has a cradle that moves in the direction of insertionand of ejection of the second card insertable in the second slot; a gearlocated on a rotatable shaft that can be slid in the direction of theshaft axis whose teeth with even numbered ordinal numbers are wider inthe direction of the shaft axis that than the teeth with odd-numberedordinal numbers; a cam connected to the cradle whose front edge makesphysical contact with the teeth with even-numbered ordinal numbers andwhose longitudinal edge always remains a shorter distance from the teethwith odd-numbered ordinal numbers; a tongue connected to said closingdevice that can be moved not only in the direction of the shaft axis,but also in the direction of rotation of the shaft and that has a lug onits free end to mesh in the space between an even and an odd-numberedtooth of the gear; two stationary ramps located one behind the other inthe direction of rotation of the shaft that are periodically in physicalcontact with the front surface of the teeth with even numbered ordinalnumbers and that has a first energy storage device connected to thecradle.
 7. The card reader according to claim 6 further comprising asecond energy storage device that is connected to the closing devicethat, when the closing device is open, contains stored energy.
 8. Thecard reader according to claim 7 further comprising a sliding tongueconnected to said cradle that follows the movements of said cradle whosefree end is formed as a moveable hook; and a pin on said closing devicethat, when said closing device is open to insert the second card in thesecond slot, is secured by a moveable hook to prevent the release of theenergy stored in said second energy storage device.
 9. A method ofcontrolling a login procedure of a plurality of cards inserted in cardslots of a device, the method comprising: detecting a first insertion ofa first card in a first slot of a device; logging the first card intothe device after the detected first insertion; detecting a secondinsertion of a second card in a second slot of the device after loggingthe first card into the device; detecting a change in a position of thefirst card in the device; logging the first card out of the device basedon the detected change in the position; and logging the second card intothe device after logging the first card out of the device.
 10. Themethod of claim 9 further comprising monitoring a second position of thesecond card in the device.
 11. The method of claim 9 wherein the changein the position is detected using a light sensor.
 12. A method ofcontrolling a logout procedure of a plurality of cards inserted in cardslots of a device, the method comprising: detecting a first insertion ofa first card in a first slot of a device; logging the first card intothe device after the detected first insertion; detecting a secondinsertion of a second card in a second slot of the device after loggingthe first card into the device; logging the second card into the deviceafter the detected second insertion; detecting a change in a position ofthe first card in the device; logging the second card out of the devicebased on the detected change; and logging the first card out of thedevice after logging the second card out of the device.
 13. The methodof claim 12 wherein the change in the position is detected using a lightsensor.
 14. A card reader comprising: a first insertion slot configuredto accept a first card; a second insertion slot configured to accept asecond card; and a monitoring device configured to detect a firstinsertion of the first card in the first insertion slot; log the firstcard into a device after the detected first insertion; detect a secondinsertion of the second card in the second insertion slot after loggingthe first card into the device; log the second card into the deviceafter the detected second insertion; detect a change in a position ofthe first card; log the second card out of the device based on thedetected change; and log the first card out of the device after loggingthe second card out of the device.
 15. The card reader of claim 14wherein the monitoring device comprises a light sensor configured todetect the change in the position of the first card.
 16. The card readerof claim 14 wherein the monitoring device comprises a contact springconfigured to indicate the first insertion of the first card based on anelectrical contact with the first card.
 17. The card reader of claim 16wherein the monitoring device logs the first card into the device byexchanging data with a memory of the first card using the electricalcontact with the first card.
 18. A card reader comprising: a firstinsertion slot configured to accept a first card; a second insertionslot configured to accept a second card; a monitoring device configuredto log the first card into a device after insertion of the first card inthe first insertion slot; and log the second card into the device afterinsertion of the second card in the second insertion slot and afterlogging the first card into the device; and a cover configured toprevent removal of the first card from the first insertion slot beforelogging the second card out of the device, wherein the cover comprises astop base extending from an edge of the cover to abut the second card ifthe second card is inserted in the second insertion slot and a handleextending from a front surface of the cover to abut a housing of thedevice if the second card is inserted in the second insertion slot. 19.The card reader of claim 18 wherein the cover further comprises a cutoutin a surface of the cover, and further wherein the cover is configuredto move so that the cutout is positionable to allow access to the firstinsertion slot if the second card is not inserted in the secondinsertion slot.
 20. A card reader comprising: means for accepting afirst card; means for accepting a second card; and a monitoring devicecomprising: means for detecting a first insertion of the first card intothe means for accepting the first card; means for logging the first cardinto a device after the detected first insertion; means for detecting asecond insertion of the second card into the means for accepting thesecond card after logging the first card into the device; means forlogging the second card into the device after the detected secondinsertion; means for detecting a change in a position of the first card;means for logging the second card out of the device based on thedetected change; and means for logging the first card out of the deviceafter logging the second card out of the device.
 21. The card reader ofclaim 20, further comprising means for covering the means for acceptingthe second card.
 22. The card reader of claim 21, further comprisingmeans for ejecting the second card when the means for covering allowsaccess to the means for accepting the second card.
 23. A card readercomprising: means for accepting a first card; means for accepting asecond card; means for logging the first card into a device afterinsertion of the first card into the means for accepting the first card;means for logging the second card into the device after insertion of thesecond card into the means for accepting the second card and afterlogging the first card into the device; and means for preventing removalof the first card from the means for accepting the first card beforelogging the second card out of the device, wherein the means forpreventing removal comprises a stop base extending from an edge of themeans for preventing removal to abut the second card if the second cardis inserted in the means for accepting the second card and a handleextending from a front surface of the means for preventing removal toabut a housing of the device if the second card is inserted in the meansfor accepting the second card.
 24. The card reader of claim 23, furthercomprising means for ejecting the first card from the device.